Monday, March 24, 2008

Let’s not talk about his supposed qualifications. Let’s talk, instead, about his lack of qualifications and what a disaster a McCain Presidency would be for the country.

As part of his strategy for addressing economic meltdown, John McBush McCain would make DUHbya’s (yes, it’s spelled with a capital DUH) tax cuts for the wealthy permanent. Huh? Wouldn’t that mean that the middle class would shoulder a disproportionate share of the massive debt burden run up by Bush’s misadventures in Iraq?

By his own admission McCain doesn’t know much about the economy. Shouldn’t the President know enough about the economy—about budgets and deficits and taxation and sound fiscal policy, among other things—that he or she can recognize good economic advice from bad and make policy decisions accordingly?

If recent speeches and interviews are any indication, he doesn’t know much about the Middle East, either, and this calls into question his competency and qualifications to hold the nation’s highest office. When a President can’t distinguish the differences between the major players on the home team, how can he possibly create winning strategies for ending the conflict?

Also disturbing is McCain’s expressed willingness to keep troops in Iraq for another 100 years, if that’s what it takes to win. But what, exactly, is it that America hopes to win? Victory over global terrorism? Peace in the Middle East? Control of Iraq’s oil? Good luck with those!

While it might have been impressive and funny to school children, McCain’s silly chant, “Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran” should have raised red flags and sent chills of fear racing down the spines of all Americans in possession of critical thinking skills. Do we really want to face the consequences of yet another reckless military adventure? As a nation, have we finally arrived at the point where we value war more than we value peace? Or have we always been there?

Given McCain’s relative weak stance on important issues such as the environment, global climate change, renewable energy resources, health care, education, and myriad others, I find no compelling reason why he deserves to be elected President, and no logical argument why he should be. But I do, in fact, fear for the nation if he is.